Dr. Edmund Ricci Named 2013 UPMC Caregiver Champion

PITTSBURGH, June 7, 2013 – UPMC Senior Services will honor Edmund Ricci, Ph.D, professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health and associate director of Evaluation Science at the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services and the University of Pittsburgh, as its 2013 Senior Services Caregiver Champion. Dr. Ricci has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to take on the challenging job of caring for his wife Joanne, while demonstrating exceptional leadership in his own career. The award will be presented at the annual Celebrating Senior Champions Dinner and Auction held on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at the Omni William Penn Hotel.

Dr. Ricci’s wife Joanne suffered from a lingering neurological degenerative disorder for six years before passing away in 2009. Throughout her illness, Dr. Ricci sought to provide the best physical, social and psycho-social help possible.

“Dr. Ricci’s current work and dedication to the Aging Institute is driven by his personal experience as a caregiver. He wishes to improve the services available to caregivers. Dr. Ricci has harnessed his personal life experiences and turned them into motivation for his work as an investigative scientist at the Aging Institute,” said Dr. Charles Reynolds, director of the Aging Institute and professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neuroscience at Pitt’s School of Medicine.

Dr. Reynolds, who is also senior associate dean of Pitt’s Medical School, nominated Dr. Ricci for the Caregiver Award.

Dr. Ricci’s main technical areas are evaluation and survey research methods. He focuses on the study of elder minority health disparities, long-term care services and institutions, emergency and disaster medicine, and substance abuse intervention programs.

“I am very honored to receive the 2013 Caregiver Champion award from UPMC Senior Services,” said Dr. Ricci. “In my work with the elderly, I try to assure they receive the best care possible while promoting their overall quality of life and preserving their independence. I look forward to my future work with the Aging Institute, UPMC Senior Services and the various other organizations that serve seniors throughout our region.”

Dr. Ricci has served as a member of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council committee on emergency medical services. He is also founding chair of the Health Services Research Training Study Section of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In addition, Dr. Ricci is a member of the editorial boards of the journalsSocial Work in Public Health, Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, and Race and Social Problems.

He has extensive international work experiences as well. Dr. Ricci taught at the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Lisbon, Portugal, and the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, as a member of the visiting faculty. He served as a member of the Board of Examiners at Sri Venkateswara University in India and as advisor/instructor to the World Health Organization Center in Kobe, Japan.

“Dr. Ricci’s extraordinary dedication in both his personal and professional life is evident through his work to improve care for the older population at the Aging Institute,” said Deborah Brodine, president of UPMC Community Provider Services. “His passion for improving the lives of seniors and his vision for advocacy in the elderly community are truly exemplary. Dr. Ricci is an esteemed researcher who is highly regarded among faculty and peers alike. UPMC Senior Services is proud to recognize him for his work on behalf of seniors in western Pennsylvania.”

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